With the upcoming spring holidays, I thought I’d share about how to properly set a table. Perhaps you need a reminder of where the cutlery should be placed around the tableware. With our casual lifestyles it’s easy to forget how a proper set table should look. Here’s a refresher showing how to set a table. If your hosting a holiday dinner or you just want to throw a spring garden party this information will be helpful.

FORMAL TABLE SETTING:

OPTIONS:

Dessert spoon can be placed above the plate (facing left) with the dessert fork – with the tines pointing right

Salad bowl or dish can be placed to the left with bread plate above fork

Glass above the knife – glasses to be used first go on the outside – glasses line up from the first one

INFORMAL TABLE SETTING:

BREAKFAST TABLE SETTING:

Remember…Left for eating, Right for Drinking. Start at the outside and work in.

Napkin Placement:

It depends on your preference and there are many folding variations that can be created. There are napkin folding books that can teach you how. As a default, the napkin can be placed in the water glass, folded on the dinner plate, or beside the flatware on the left. You may not want to use all of the tableware pieces shown in the above diagrams, they are optional and it also depends on what you are serving.

I have a napkin folding book and I like to put my creation on top of the plate.

There are so many decorative and fun napkin rings that can adorn a folded napkin if you’re not up to learning the napkin folds.

Buffet Style:

If you’re going to be serving buffet style (I serve buffet style a lot) the plates are not put on the table. They are piled on the buffet serving table. Put the napkin in the center (where the plate would otherwise go).

Easter Table Setting

Elegant and Colorful Table Setting

Modern Table Setting

Simplistic Table Setting

Tea Party Table Setting

Dinner for Two TableSetting

Natural Table Setting

Outdoor / Casual Table Setting

Creating a beautiful table setting doesn’t have to be difficult nor do you need to have fancy expensive tableware or silverware.

Creativity is “key” to a pretty place setting.

Have fun!

With Sandella you’ll have ONE point of Contact from Concept to Completion for your Convenience!

Chandeliers add a touch of elegance to a dining room or a little romance above a tub. Here’s how to hang them so they look just right…

Step One: Chose the Correct Style. If your style is Tuscan choose a chandelier that’s ornate iron or crystal. If your style is Contemporary choose a style that has less ornamentation, clean lines and sleek finishes.

Step Two:Select the Size / Scale. If you’re hanging it above a table then the size should be at least half of the table width. For example, if you have a 60″ round table then the chandelier should be at least 30″ dia. If the ceilings are high you can select a two-tiered style or a taller fixture. If you have a large room then go bigger. The bottom of the fixture should hang approximately 30″ above the table. (don’t go lower than 36′)

If you want to hang the chandelier in the center of a room. Measure the room’s length and width in feet and then add them together. For example, a 12′ x 16′ room would use a 28″ dia chandelier. Make sure the fixture doesn’t hang lower than 7 ft from the floor.

Step Three:Illumination. It’s important to have the correct amount of wattage. So what you’ll need to do is multiply the length and width of the room in feet. For example, a 12′ x 16′ room equals 192′. Take 192 and then multiply it by 1.5 = 288. 288 watts is the the total illumination needed for that room. It’s approximately eight (8) 40 watt bulbs. I recommend installing a dimmer switch so you can lower the amount of light to create an ambiance.

Spring’s warm breezes and blooming flowers indicate that the warm weather is near and it’s time to “Spring Clean”.

Many people get the urge this time of the year to give the house a good cleaning and re-organize their closets and cabinets.

Spring is a time for renewal and the perfect time to bring “new life” to your living spaces.

Below are some of my favorite tips from Martha Stewart.

SPRING CLEANING AND STORAGE TIPS:

BAKING PAN ORGANIZER

Retrieving a jar or bottle from the back of a crowded cabinet can be awkward. For a simple fix, gather the pantry supplies you store on the shelf into a spare baking pan, then treat it like a drawer, carefully sliding it in and out for easy access. The pan will also catch drips, speeding cleanup. I love this idea since I love to bake.

CORRAL YOUR MAGAZINES

I use Magazine holders all the time but I never thought to attach a sash lift to them. Magazine holders are good for keeping old issues in order, but their handleless backs make it difficult to access them when you need to. For a permanent fix, position a sash lift on the back of a holder, and mark screw holes with a pen. With a hand drill, make two holes in holder to accommodate small bolts. Secure the lift to the holder with bolts and matching nuts.

CLEANING BUCKET

Great Idea for Spring Cleaning! For easier spring-cleaning, fill a bucket with basics that need to be toted from room to room: all-purpose and glass-cleaning sprays, a sponge, a toothbrush, a squeegee, a scrub brush, hopsacking, and terry-cloth towels in washcloth and hand-towel sizes. Between tasks, hang rubber gloves over the rim to dry.

SHEET STORAGE

Wonderful Storage Tip. Well-organized closets, storage areas, and office spaces can help you save time, open up your living quarters, and restore beauty and order to your home. Follow our easy ideas for storing anything and everything in your home.

Don’t let your matching sheets get lost in the linen closet. Use this simple trick: Tuck a sheet set inside one of its pillowcases, and then stack according to size (twin, full, queen, king) or by the room you use the sheets in (master bedroom, guest room.)

DRAWER DIVIDERS

These are a MUST for me! Bathroom drawers are second only to junk drawers in their potential for messiness. It’s too easy to toss grooming products in there pell-mell. Wooden boxes and trays help categorize the items and are available in various sizes and materials, so they can be mixed and matched to fit any sort of drawer.

SHOE STORAGE

Bedrooms are where we go to rest and relax. That can be hard to do if your clothes are strewn all over and your jewelry is tangled. Restore order while maintaining a beautiful space with our easy organizing solutions.

Some of your heels are works of art, so why not display them as such? Line the walls of a walk-in closet or a dressing area with picture-rail molding to make a tidy yet visually arresting display.

Buy preprimed pieces, and have them cut to length at the store. Paint before installing, either the color of the wall or a bold accent shade. Space the rails a foot apart, and attach them to the wall with construction adhesive. Hammer finishing nails every 18 inches (you don’t have to hit studs), countersink nails, spackle, and touch up with paint.

MY FAVORITE SHOE AND HANDBAG STORAGE TIP:

I place my shoes on the shelf with one shoe toe first and the other heel first. This way here I can see the heel size and toe style at the same time. It also allows more room to fit more shoes per shelf.

Since I store my handbags in cloth bags I can’t see what handbag is in there. So I take picture of the handbag, print it and cut it to fit in a plastic baggy. I tape the baggy shut, make a little hole in the top with a hole puncher and I attach it to the string of the cloth bag. Now I know which handbag is in there.

And don’t forget to allow some time to enjoy the beautiful weather.

With Sandella you’ll have ONE point of Contact from Concept to Completion for your Convenience!

Custom home scheduled to break ground soon in Eagle’s Nest. I’ll be blogging regularly about the construction of this home and posting lots of photos once we get started. This beautiful home will feature an open floor plan with lots of windows to capture the amazing views, a lap pool/spa with a waterfall cascading down to the lower level which houses a sound-proof music room. The lowest point is a basketball court.

Al Sandella, General Contractor for Sandella Custom Homes, has recently been elected to serve on the board for the SunRidge Canyon Architectural Review Committee.

The Construction Trend For 2012…

Is REMODEL! It seems just about everyone wants to renovate their house this year. Our top three requests:

Kitchen Remodel

Bathroom Remodel

Entertainment Wall Remodel

The Interior Design Trend for 2012…

I want a “Fresh New Look” for my home. Top on the list:

New Furnishings

New Window Treatments

New Accessories

Homeowners want more natural light and color, They want an “On-Trend” look for their home that’s current but also timeless.

With Sandella you’ll have ONE point of Contact from Concept to Completion for your Convenience!

The vanity bench was designed for a master bath in a cube style with a back. A tufted back and seat were designed for comfort and style. The soft (velvet feel) fabric is a blend of poly and nylon which is very durable and easy to clean. The warm fawn color works well with the window treatment and other colors in the room. It was designed with glides so it can slide underneath the vanity so it’s out-of-the-way. It’s fabulous and functional and the homeowner just loves it!

Well made custom upholstered furniture can be designed to fit your space and unique needs. You get to choose the style, fabric, fame and cushions to meet your exact specifications, exclusively for you!